Banjo-tailpiece.



No. 643,591 Patented Feb. l3, I900.

a. A. RAPP.

BANJO TMLPIECE.

(Application filed Nov, 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

.NITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

GUSTAV A. RAPP, OF HUDSON, NElV YORK.

BANJOETAILPIEC E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,159, dated February 13, 1900.

Application filed November 1 8,1899. S Ii N -737A88. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV A. RAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Banjo- Tailpiece, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tailpieces for banjos, although it will be readily understood from the following description-that the novelty of the structure may be embodied in a tailpiece for violins, guitars, or other stringed instruments.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction in which there will be no objectionable corners or sharp edges to wear the strings and in which the strings may be quickly attached without knotting and may be easily removed, the structure being such as to greatly facilitate both the application and removal of the strings.

Referring now to the drawings, which form a portion of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference designate like and corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective View, partially broken away, showing the rear portion of a banjo head and rim with the tailpiece in position. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the inner side of the tailpiece. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tailpiece detached. Fig. 4: is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the studs upon the tailpiece and showing the method of attachment of a string thereto.

Referring now to the drawings, 6 represents the rim of a banjo, upon which is fastened a head 7 through the medium of a hoop 8, which is held in position by hook-bolts 9, passed through brackets 10 upon the rim and having nuts 11 in accordance with the usual construction of a banjo.

At the rear side of the rim 6 is arranged a bracket 12, through which is passed the tailpiece-securing bolt 13, having a tighteningnut 14 and by means of which bolt the tailpiece is held in place.

The tailpiece consists of a plate 15, which is bent into arc shape to conform to the curvature of the hoop of the banjo, and which plate has a flange 16 at its upper edge which is adapted to project over the upper edge of the hoop in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Upon the rear face of the plate 15 is formed a lug 17, having a perforation 18, through which the bolt 13 is passed for holding the tailpiece in place. Upon the upper surface of the flange 16 are disposed in this instance'five studs 19, each of which has a double head consisting of two spheres 20 and 21 in mutual contact, the common tangents of the spheres coinciding with the axis of the stud. These studs are separated a distance substantially equal to the notches of the bridge, (shown at 22 in Fig. 1,) so that there is less tendency of the string being displaced, and, furthermore, there is adirect pull upon the string, which lessens the tendency possessed by the strings to fall down in pitch, due to the gradual taking up of the slack of the strings between the bridge and the tail piece after the instrument has been tuned.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings is shown one method of securing the strings, and upon reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the string is passed upwardly and between the spheres 20 and 21, and then downwardly and around the sphere 20 and in engagement with the stud 19, after which it is passed rearwardly around the stud and across the end of the string and is then taken under the sphere 21 and thence to the bridge. By this meansthe loop 25 of the string which lies at the back of the stud and crosses the first-applied portion of the string acts to clamp this first-applied portion tightly against the stud and into the angle between the stud and the head, thus positively holding the rear end of the string against slipping. With this construction it will be seen that it is not necessary to pass the string through a hole of any kind and that the string may be quickly applied and removed, that it will be held firmly in place and will receive no injury whatever. Also when the string is loosened from the key or stop the rear end may be easily removed from the stud.

It will of course be understood that the studs may be placed any distance apart, and that there may be any number of studs employed to adapt the bridge for different instruments, and that the plate 15 and its flange 16 may have whatever specific shape may be deemed best for the instrument upon which it is used.

What is claimed is- 1. A taiipiece comprising a plate and a plurality of studs upon the plate, each of the studs having a head projecting beyond the sides of the stud and having a groove in its upper edge tapering to a point, whereby a string may be wedged into the groove.

2. A tailpiece comprising a plate and a plurality of studs mounted upon the plate, each of the studs having a head comprising spheres in mutual contact and projecting beyond the sides of the stud.

3. A tailpiece comprising a plate and a plurality of studs mounted upon the plate, each of the studs having a head comprising two spheres in mutual contact and projecting beyond the sides of the stud.

4. A tailpiece comprising a plate having a plurality of studs mounted thereon, each of the studs having a head consisting of two spheres in mutual contact and projecting beyond the sides of the studs, whereby a central downwardly-tapered groove is formed in the upper face of the head, the common tangent of the spheres coinciding'with the axis of the studs.

5. A tailpiece comprising a plate and a plurality of studs, each of the studs having a head which projects beyond the opposite sides of the studs, said head having its projecting portions rounded and having a groove in its upper portion intermediate its ends, said groove having convex walls in mutual contact, whereby the groove is tapered to a point.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAV A. RAPP.

Witnesses G. E. JAQUINS, REUBEN W. J AoUINs. 

